Norsepower’s Rotor Sail™ Technology Secures Largest Order for Wind Propulsion

Norsepower Oy Ltd, a wind propulsion specialist, has secured its largest order to date for its Rotor Sail™ technology. The French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs SAS (LDA) has placed an order to equip three low-emission roll-on/roll-off ships with the technology, which will be used to transport aircraft assembly components for Airbus from Europe to the United States. The Rotor Sail™ technology uses electrical energy to spin cylindrical rotors on the ship’s deck, interacting with the wind to produce thrust and reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Designed by Deltamarin, the vessels will feature six 35-meter Norsepower rotor sails and two dual-fuel engines powered by marine diesel oil and e-methanol. Advanced routing software will optimize the ships’ transatlantic journey, maximizing wind propulsion and minimizing drag caused by adverse sea conditions. Louis Dreyfus Armateurs also highlighted the importance of wind propulsion in achieving the International Maritime Organization’s net zero targets, with the new fleet expected to produce 50% less CO2 emissions on the transatlantic route by 2030 compared to 2023.

Additionally, the rotor sails will be equipped with the newly patented Norsepower Sentient Control™ (NPSCTM) system, allowing individual control of each rotor and managing the complex aerodynamic interactions between the sails and the vessel’s hydrodynamic behavior. CEO of Norsepower, Tuomas Riski, called the fleet-wide deal a game-changer for the auxiliary wind propulsion industry, noting that it is the largest deal ever made in the mechanical sail market and includes the brand new Norsepower Sentient Control™ tool.

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